Twelve Olympians
The Twelve Olympians were the chief deities in Ancient Greece. Original Twelve Olympians These gods and goddesses held a place in the Council on Mount Olympus and were considered to be the chief deities in Ancient Greece. from their birth and onwards they have been the image of their realm or sphere of power. Aphrodite Aphrodite was the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. By some accounts she was the daughter of Zeus, and by others she was born of the foam on the waves when Cronus castrated Uranus and tossed his genitals into the sea. She is married to Hephaestus, god of the forge. and had countless affairs with other men and had countless children as the result but her most notable lover was Ares,the god of war. Apollo Apollo was the ancient Greek god of music, medicine, light, and the sun. He was the son of Zeus and it is sometimes said that his mother is Leto, a nymph. He also had a twin sister Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Apollo is the other god known to drive the sun-chariot (besides Helios), and wields bow, whose arrows bring death (much like in the Trojan War, where it is said he brought a plague to the Greeks). By some accounts he was born first, and others say Artemis was first and helped Leto deliver Apollo. Ares Ares, also known as Mars in Roman Mythology, is the ancient Greek god of war. He is the one of the sons of Zeus, the father god, and Hera, the queen of the gods. He is unwed, yet he had multiple affair with the goddess Aphrodite. The have Deimos 'Terror' and Phobos 'Fear', accompanied Ares, and help explain why Ares' variety of warfare earned so much hatred. Eres, the goddess of discord, who uses the golden apple to start conflicts between the gods (The Trojan War is a key example), and is also another companion of his. Artemis Artemis was the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt, moon, and guardian of women in childbirth. She has a twin brother Apollo and is the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis swore to forever remain a maiden, holding a hatred for men; calling for them to be ripped apart if found spying on her bathing. Her symbols are the hounds that she hunts with, her bow, and the lunar crescent she wears on her brow. Athena Athena was the ancient Greek goddess of weaving, wisdom, and to a point- war. She was born from the forehead of Zeus, seen as a headache in different interpretations of the original myth. She is said to not have a mother, and as such, Zeus is said to have given "birth" to her. She is the "right-hand" of Zeus, being his favorite child, and is often turned to for advice. She and Poseidon once competed for a city's affections, Poseidon giving the gift of a salt-water spring or a horse (different interpretation - different gift), and she gave an olive tree. The greeks enjoyed her gift more, and the city was named after her. Demeter Demeter was the ancient Greek goddess of agriculture. She is one of the daughters of Cronus and Rhea. She was raped by Zeus and had one daughter, Persephone the "Destoryer of Light", (or Kore meaning "Maiden"). She has been said to have sheltered Persephone and keeping her hidden from the world. She, however, did not predict Hades to fall in love with Persephone. She became distressed, searching the earth for her daughter; plants withered causing winter, because she would not grown any plants until her daughter was returned. Dionysus Dionysus was the ancient Greek god of wine and celebration. He was the son of Zeus and Semele. Like Demeter, he is not always associated with being an Olympian. When he is, the story goes that Hestia gave up her seat as an Olympian so that she could live among mankind. She eventually came back to Mt. Olympus as the goddess of the hearth. Hephaestus Hephaestus was the ancient Greek god of fire/forging. He is the son of Hera. He created all of the tools for the rest of the Olympians. He was married to Aphrodite, but she had many affairs. His mother Hera pushed him off Mount Olympus when he was born because she was a perfectionist; Hephaestus was not beautiful as most of the gods were characterized. He was so ugly in fact that his wife Aphrodite had an affair with Ares, the god of war, and many others. Hera Hera was the wife of the god Zeus. She was worshiped as the goddess of marriage and monogamy. Her children are Hephaestus, Hebe, and Ares. She is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She is also said to kill each of Zeus' affairs, nymph or human, unless they are carrying a child. Her symbol is the Peacock. Hermes Hermes was the god of shepherds, thieves, travelers, and many other things. He is the herald god of the Olympians. He is the son of Zeus and Maia. Poseidon Poseidon was the Ancient Greek god of the oceans and seas, horses, and earthquakes. He is the son of Cronus and Rhea, and the brother of Zeus, Hades, and Hera. He played a key role in the overthrow of his father. He carries a trident, and is possibly the father of Theseus. Category:Zeus Other Major Deities These gods and goddesses, among many others, held a major role in their domains over Ancient Greece, but do not hold a place among the twelve chief Olympians. They include (in alphabetical order): Eros, Heracles, Hebe, Helios, Hestia, Hades (see note below), Janus, Pan and Persephone. Notes *Hades is considered an important god, but is not counted in the Twelve Olympians because he dwells in the Underworld. References *http://www.pantheon.org/ *http://www.the-pantheon.com/ *http://www.mythweb.com/ Category:Greek mythology